Witherspoon Close to 'Midnight'

Universal Pictures is looking to remake the 1939 comedy "Midnight" as a starring and production vehicle for Reese Witherspoon.

"Little Miss Sunshine" Oscar winner Michael Arndt will write the adaptation for producers Stuber/Parent and for Witherspoon's Type A shingle.

The original was written by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett and starred Claudette Colbert (plausibly the Reese Witherspoon of her generation) as a poor American gold-digger in Paris who poses as a baroness as part of a scheme to help a wealthy man woo his wife from the arms of a gigolo. Don Ameche, Mary Astor and John Barrymore co-starred.

Variety points out that the original film was a Paramount production, but Universal holds the rights to the company's pre-1948 library.

The trade paper isn't exactly sure when Witherspoon would be ready to shoot "Midnight," but indications are that it's unlikely to be her next production.

Witherspoon and Type A were most recently attached to produced "Under the Bridge," a fact-based crime drama.

Type A produced "Penelope," set for a summer release via IFC Films. The company is in production on the Lasse Hallstrom-directed "Sammy" and is set to oversee "Our Family Trouble," a Universal horror film to star Witherspoon.

The Oscar-winning actress was expected to currently be in production on a remake of "Bunny Lake Is Missing," but Witherspoon bailed on the project weeks before shooting was to begin. In addition to a supporting role in "Penelope," she'll be seen later this year in "Rendition."